Another Fucking Waste

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Tuesday July 25, 2006 · 7:00 PM PDT

2006/07/25 · 19:00

This is a story that will make very few waves.

Chances are no one will hear of it in the US who doesn't read this diary. And if they don't catch the news tonight in Canada, they probably won't hear about it either.

But I heard about it and I am pissed.

The headline of the story in the Globe and Mail which caught my eye said
"Vancouver humanitarian killed in Afghanistan".

They're talking about Mike Frastacky, 56, a boatbuilder and carpenter and avid trekker.

But he wasn't just killed, he was murdered. Three shots to the head.

Rumour is there is a bounty on Western heads of $10,000. Can you imagine the tempation that sort of money would pose in Afghanistan, if this is true?

So why was he there? Read More

Ann Coulter is just a wannabe

Bionic

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Saturday July 22, 2006 · 4:42 PM PDT

2006/07/22 · 16:42

Originally posted at The Next Agenda. Posted here with an introduction.

+++

Americans like to think they lead the world, first in everything, the biggest and the best. The trouble is they just don't know that others may have actually blazed a trail before them.

Thus, as a public service I'd like to introduce the Kos community to the woman Ann Coulter only wishes she could be.

Barbara Amiel.

This is the woman who brewed a potent concoction of batshit craziness and round heeled exhibitionism, that the neo con crowd she plays to don't know if they are coming or going, but they have their little blue pills ready in case -- you know -- it's not going, into a life that included "wealth beyond avarice". Not that that stopped her from a display of such conspicuous consumption as to beggar the imagination. Read More

Gitmo Prisoner Fires US Lawyers

Bionic

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Friday July 21, 2006 · 9:11 AM PDT

2006/07/21 · 09:11

Crossposted at The Next Agenda For Progressive Canadian Politics

Omar Khadr may be losing it.

In a news report from Globe and Mail Omar's letter to his mother said that he had decided to put his trust in God for his defence.

He asked his mother "not to be mad" at him for doing it.

A U.S. marine appointed to represent Mr. Khadr said he was surprised by the letter's contents.
"I'm really worried for the guy, sincerely," Lieutenant-Colonel Colby Vokey said in an interview yesterday. He said the document indicates that Mr. Khadr is in a questionable mental state after being denied basic rights for so long.
"The government has done its best to thwart our efforts to a full, fair hearing," Col. Vokey said. He noted that the military has seized the young man's legal files, denied him telephone calls and recently sent him back to solitary confinement. "Why would he trust any of this when the Americans are doing all this to him?"

Bionic

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Friday July 07, 2006 · 10:55 AM PDT

2006/07/07 · 10:55

Crossposted at The Next Agenda

Christie Blatchford had an article in the Globe & Mail the other day (July 4), about the state of affiars in Afghanistan.

The article appeared on A1 and is also available behind the subscripton wall, which offers a 14 day free trial. (Because of this I have quoted rather more extensively, than I would otherwise.)

She interviewed Canada's former Ambassador to the country, Chris Alexander. He's now the deputy special representative (political) for Kofi Annan.

Alexander is extremely concerned about the situation and the rise in violence and frequency of attacks.

The major problem, according to Alexander, is that the Taliban was not defeated back in 2001. They were allowed the chance to regroup in Pakistan and now are able to launch attacks into the Afghanistan and then retreat to safety. And it is getting worse, the current rate of casualties is 3 times what it was last year. Read More

Gitmo "hardly a gulag"

Bionic

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Wednesday July 05, 2006 · 9:15 AM PDT

2006/07/05 · 09:15

Crossposted at The Next Agenda

Recently a team from the CBC was allowed inside the the infamous Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba.

Journalist Rosa Hwang wrote about it July 4th.

She notes the dichotomy between the beauty of the surroundings, a boon to any vacation spot coupled with oppressive heat and bugs.

The reporters were constantly shadowed members of the military. Uncomfortable questions were brushed off with "security concerns".

Reflections on shop window

Bionic

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Tuesday July 04, 2006 · 7:13 AM PDT

2006/07/04 · 07:13

Crossposted at The Next Agenda and The Daily Kos

As you may know, I was in England the last week of June. As I wandered around the neighbourhood around the British Museum, I came across a charicature in a shop window. I immediately thought about how I could share this with my fellow bloggers.

It shows Thomas Paine, one of the heroes of the American Revolution. He is someone who has inspired many Americans, as well as many bloggers. Here is one of my favourite quotes of his:

"He who would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression.
For if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."

It's kind of a more muscular version of the Golden Rule. Read More

Remember Poland? About those black sites

Bionic

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Wednesday June 07, 2006 · 10:14 AM PDT

2006/06/07 · 10:14

Today, in the course of investigating another story I came across this headline in The Independent online edition: Britain named for colluding in US rendition flights

The story is about an investigation by Swiss MP Dick Marty, for the Council of Europe, about European countries involved in aiding the US in rendition flights.

New Canadian Ambassador to US?

Bionic

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Wednesday January 25, 2006 · 10:54 AM PST

2006/01/25 · 10:54

I just heard on the CBC that rumor has it that Preston Manning, the founder of the Reform Party, is to be the new ambassor to Washington, replacing Frank McKenna, who is rumoured to be the next leader of the Liberal Party.

I thought I would pass along a few tidbits about Preston, for your edification.

He comes from a political background. His father Ernest was the second Social Credit Premier of Alberta. He was an evangelical preacher who replaced the founder "Bible Bill" Aberhart in 1943. He was premier until 1968. Since Preston was born in 1942, this means he grew up with his Dad running a province. Read More

PSA: Recognizing a stroke

Bionic

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Friday December 09, 2005 · 12:04 PM PST

2005/12/09 · 12:04

My sister in law just passed this on to me. Like her I am not one to pass on email letters but this one is too good not to share. And if it does help someone then it's worthwhile.

Before passing it on I checked it out at Snopes which says

Ergo, for once there's a "Send this to everyone you know!" missive afoot that really does contain highly useful and important information.

Given the costs of health care it seems to me that any way to reduce those costs is a good thing.

The topic of the email sent to me said preventing a stroke but it doesn't help prevent them one bit. What is does do is offer 3 simple tests you can do that will help you recognize if a person had had a stroke.

Feel free to send this to your own list. The email is on the flip.
Read More

[UPDATE]Belinda Stronach's Dad doing something

Bionic

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Thursday September 08, 2005 · 3:14 PM PDT

2005/09/08 · 15:14

Some of you Americans might remember Belinda Stronach as the Canadian conservative star who crossed the floor and saved the Liberal government last spring.

Her father is the head of Magna International, a multi billion dollar business. And he is I believe a Liberal too.

Join me on the flip to see what I just heard on the evening news about what he is doing. Read More

I am Cindy Sheehan

Bionic

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Monday August 15, 2005 · 10:25 AM PDT

2005/08/15 · 10:25

What does Cindy want?

She wants an honest answer to a simple question: What is the noble cause that her son died for?

I've seen discussions here about the pros and cons of who should go to Crawford to stand with her. Some, who really should or would like to go, can't. And others who go run the risk of muddying the very concise message that she bears.

So I've been thinking about this.

Join me on the flip if you will, to hear more. Read More

Here's Bushco's problem

Bionic

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Monday July 04, 2005 · 4:40 PM PDT

2005/07/04 · 16:40

Update [2005-7-4 23:11:10 by Bionic]:Added a link to where you can find the doc online.

Last night my husband came tearing out of the bedroom and flipped the TV on to CBC Newsworld.
They were playing "The World According To Bush".

(Thanks to ePluribus Media for the link to The Passionate Eye doc at Information Clearinghouse.)

Now this was significant for me, because I lived through a winter of "Why do you waste time reading all that stuff. It's not your country. You can't do anything about it."

So we sat down and watched it together. It was shocking to me how many men in positions of power calmly and boldfacedly (if that's not a word I am making it one now) lie.

My husband knows just about anything you might want to know about art, 20th century music, aircraft and WWII. He does not do politics.

Now he does. Now he understands some of the fear I felt in the fall at the thought of four more years of Bushco.

And it felt pretty good to point out Joe Wilson, speaking in French, no less, and say "He was working with us, ePluribus Media. The Plame thing was what got us started." Read More

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